Common Name: SnakeScientific Name: Suborder SerpentesProtected Status: Many snakes are protected under the U.S. ESA and CITES.Laboratory Section: MorphologyWhat’s the Story? The flexible nature of the snake skeleton aids locomotion. Snake vertebrae can often be used to identify the species from which they came.

Credit: USFWS.

Zebra

Common Name: Grevyi’s Zebra Scientific Name: Equus grevyiProtected Status: U.S. ESA – Threatened; CITES—App. I.Laboratory Section: MorphologyWhat’s the Story? Left side of skull between the eye orbit (upper left corner) and cheekteeth of an old zebra.

Credit: USFWS.

Primate Teeth

Common Name: OrangutanScientific Name: Pongo pygmaeusProtected Status: U.S. ESA – Endangered; CITES—App. I.Laboratory Section: MorphologyWhat’s the Story? The horizontal lines enhanced by artificial staining indicate periods of slow growth in this orangutan’s early development; the long cracks are from drying the skull.

Credit: USFWS.

Bird Breastbones

Common Name: American Woodcock breastbones Scientific Name:Scolopax minorProtected Status: U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty ActLaboratory Section: MorphologyWhat’s the Story? Woodcock are game birds and can be legally hunted in the Eastern U.S. However, commercial sale of their meat, as for all wild game, is illegal. All the breastbones shown were part of a case involving such sales of woodcock meat.

Credit: USFWS.

Ivory Tusks and Carvings

Common Name: Asian and African ElephantsScientific Name: Elephas maximus and Loxodonta africanaProtected Status:
Elephas maximus: U.S. ESA – Endangered; CITES—App. I.Loxodonta africana: U.S. ESA – Threatened; CITES – App. I or II, depending on subspecies and locality.Laboratory Section: MorphologyWhat’s the Story? Most people think that ivory only comes from the tusks of elephants, but other species also produce ivory. View our Ivory Identification Guide for more information.

Credit: USFWS.

Orangutan Skull

Common Name: Orangutan Scientific Name: Pongo pygmaeusProtected Status: U.S. ESA – Endangered; CITES—App. I.Laboratory Section: MorphologyWhat’s the Story? Orangutans are found on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Their skulls are decorated and sold as tourist items.

Common Name: BabirusaScientific Name:Babyrousa babyrussaProtected Status: U.S. ESA – Endangered; CITES – App. IWhat’s the Story? The upper tusks of the Babirusa grow out of a socket that appears to be folded up against the nasal bones allowing the tusks to grow up and back over the skull.

Credit: USFWS.

Rhino head in bug colony

Common Name: One-horned Asian Rhinoceros Scientific Name: Rhinoceros unicornisProtected Status: U.S. ESA – Endangered; CITES – App. ILaboratory Section: Morphology What’s the Story? Our dermestid beetle colony assists the scientists in two ways: the bugs eat the flesh off the bones (a.) of evidence items so cause of death can be more easily determined; and (b.) to clean carcasses for use as comparative skeletal specimens.